So so scones

I found a recipe on the net for sourdough scones and baked them as a trial.  Not a huge success and I'm not sure how they could be improved.  The scones rose a little in the oven, but I'm thinking they might need to proof a little while before baking.  Will try that next time.  It was also a very dry dough so I'll use less flour next time.

My usual scone recipe is a very wet mix which has minimal handling - I combine wet and dry ingredients in a bowl and plop the mix onto a floured counter, sprinkle more flour on top and gently press the dough to flatten before cutting.

Adopted yeast has arrived.

My new yeast has arrived and is showing promise after 24 hours of rehydration.  I've just fed it and I'm already noticing a difference in the smell.

There's a new loaf under way and I'm experimenting with the "no knead" system.  Basically you mix the starter, water, salt and flour together and leave it for 18 hours.  Then you fold, rest, shape and let it proof again before baking in a cast iron pot.  I'm using Yogi again and already the dough is rising very well.  I'm concerned that it's very soft and moist though.

Success!

I finally managed an edible loaf.  There's still some work to be done with technique and I didn't manage any oven spring, but the loaf is edible but not photogenic.

In the mean time, I have ordered a commercial starter, a lame and a banneton.  It will be interesting comparing how the two starters taste and perform.  Exciting....

Starter Revived

Well it took a couple of days, but I now have a viable sourdough starter.  It was the pineapple juice that did it.